John:  I will do my best to show you the pre-trib rapture in scripture.  I will then go another mile and show you the scriptural timing.  There is far more than what I am giving you, but it may seem like a lot.  For every verse I quote, there are many others that say the same or similar.  Bear with me as I am covering a lot of ground. 

You will find the pre-tribulation saints in Revelation 5:9-10.  This chapter is before the seals are broken.  It is the point at which St John was taken up in the vision of Revelations.  You will notice that there are men in heaven because they are saved by the blood.  They are of every kindred, tongue, people and nation.  They are made kings and priest unto God and shall reign on earth, i.e they will serve with Christ in his 1000 year kingdom.  Farther down I will explain why I do not think these are the old testament worthy saints.

This same reward is given to the tribulation saints of Revelation chapter 7, but they must undergo the trials (fires) of the tribulation to be made worthy (pure gold/silver).  Rev 7:14 says they had to wash their robes to be made white.  They were not worthy when the pre-tribulation separation occured.  These were obviously carnal christians too tied up in the pride of life of this world.  This division (separation) is recorded in Matthew 25 as the parable of the 10 virgins (all believers).  Both the tribes of Judah and Israel have long since been called whores.  To be a virgin again requires divine healing.  The wise go to the wedding.  It parallels the parable of the King who gave his son a wedding in Matthew 22.  Those too tied up in wordly things don't end up at the wedding.  That's why Jesus said many who are first will be last and vice versa.  These are the same ones in Luke 13:24-30, who have eaten and drank (Lord's supper) and taught the word, yet Jesus says He knows them not.  Gnashing of teeth (wailing and crying) is used to describe the reaction of those who have been rejected from the kingdom; however, they will have their chance in the tribulation to wash their clothes white.

You see this word worthy used throughout the New Testament to describe those who receive the reward of serving with Christ (in immortal bodies) during his 1000 year reign on earth.  It is refered to as his kingdom.  Revelations chapter 2 and 3 describes the christian churches, not Jewish synagogues or any other false religion.  You will notice some are worthy and some are not.  The things wrong with the not worthy (spewed out) churches are similar to those of Mat 25.  A solid study of Paul's writings will give you the idea of worthiness.  Paul more than any other knew "saved by grace", not by works, and that grace was a free gift.  Yet he always worried whether he was worthy, not of salvation, but of the opportunity to serve in Jesus' kingdom.  It goes something like this:  Jesus said to obey my commandments and I will come in and sup with you, i.e. be your friend, extend to you an extra measure of the Holy Spirit (oil).  It is what the wise virgins had.  Paul says you cannot have faith without obedience, furthermore your faith must be tested.  To prove yourself worthy requires obedience, prayer, study etc.  You truly must be separate from this world.  Jesus is the sole judge of our worthiness.  He will take the best for his bride, those that love  him most.  Our love, our faith is demonstrated in obedience.

In Rev 3:10-12, notice that those worthy are kept from the hour of temptation which comes upon all the world.  This is a reward, the one we are told to pray for in Luke 21:36, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."   Luke 9:27 tells us that some will not see death until they see the kingdom of God.  This event is described in 1 Thess 4:13-17.  Here, the dead are resurrected first.  It is called the midnight cry in Mat 25 and is foretold in the original passover of Exodus 11 and 12.  The living are changed and removed/separated/raptured afterwards.  How much time is some speculation, but in the parable of the 10 virgins, they have time to talk to each other.  Notice in 1 Thess 4:17, they are caught up together in the clouds (plural), i.e. one cloud for the dead and one for the living.

1 Thess 4:17 is the only time clouds is mentioned as plural.   In Acts 1:9, Jesus ascends in/into a cloud.  In Rev 11:13, the two witnesses of Revelations ascend in a cloud.  When Jesus returns, he returns in a cloud (Luke 21:27).  These are not vapor clouds, but witnesses/saints.  When Jesus ascended, he took with him the worthy old testament saints.  He will meet the pre-trib dead and living of 1 Thess 4 in the air at two separate times.  The two witness will ascend with the tribulation saints (one cloud) somewhere around the mid point of the tribulation, before God's wrath is poured out in the vials and possibly before the trumpet judgements.  Sadly, every reference in Revelations indicates all the trib saints are dead.  The good thing is they are a number too great to number (Rev 7:9).  The sad thing about the pre-trib saints are many are called, but few are chosen (Mat 25:14).

The pre-trib saints go to the wedding (Mat 25:10).  The trib saints attend the wedding supper (Rev 19:9).  John the Baptist said he was a friend of the groom.  I believe all the worthy old testament saints attend the wedding as friends of the groom.  The traditional Hebrew marriage went like this.  The groom goes to the family of the bride and makes a contract/engagement.  He returns to his father's house to get things prepared.  When his father tells him, then he goes and gets the bride.  The wedding is held in his parents house.  It is a small family affair.  The honeymoon was 7 days and then the guests were all brought in for the dinner/celebration.           

I believe it will happen something like this:  On the 40th year after a given clue (I believe the June 67 war was the budding of the fig tree Israel of Mat 24),  the separation/rapture will occur.  On the 50th year (Jubile), Jesus will return in power.  We know that Revelations tells us that there are two distinct periods of 1260 days (3.5 yrs) corresponding to the time of the 1st beast (the antichrist) and the 2nd beast (the false prophet).  This seven year period appears to begin when the antichrist beast confirms the false peace treaty with Israel.  However, the horses of Revelations begin to ride when the seals are broken and Rev 5 indicates the pre-trib saints are there with St John when the seals are broken.  The world has long called this 10 year period the apocalypse. 

  Something has to happen (likely bad) for the world to accept this new one world leader.  There must be a period (likely 3 to 3.5 years) prior to the signing of this peace treaty.  This is after the rapture.  Luke 11:5-13 describes Jesus talking with those believers left behind.  These left behind believers are those gnashing teeth and crying out.  They know what has happened.  Non-believers are celebrating the big UFO deception. Notice it too is at midnight and involves a man on a far journey (Jesus).  The wise virgins (bride) are with him in bed.  The door is shut (as in Mat 25)(also as God shut the door to the ark during the flood) and He will not open.  But notice he emphatically states he will give the man the 3 loaves of bread, not because he was his friend (he was not or he would be with Him), but because of his importunity of being left behind in the tribulation.  Verse 14 tells us this bread is the Holy Spirit.

On the left behind crowd will fall the greatest Pentecostal outpouring the world has ever seen, even greater than that which fell on the apostles.  When the tribulation begins, the two witnesses will appear (for sure Elijah and likely also Enoch, the two who have never died).  Rev 14:6 says angels will also preach.  This is how we get the huge number of trib saints of Rev 7.  When the trib begins, the antichrist beast will begin forcing his mark and killing the christians.  They will all be dead by the time the two witnesses are dead.  The 144,000 of the tribes (all tribes, not just Jews) remain mortal, but are sealed to protect them during the trumpet judgements.  Their role is to be mortal men in the nation of Israel once Christ returns. 

How do we know that the people around the throne in Revelations 5 are not the old testament saints?  I do not think so because the description of them is similar to those of the trib saints, i.e. they are made up of every kindred, tongue, people and nation.  I do not believe the worthy old testament saints were made up of all peoples of all nations.  They likely included some pre-flood and pre-Abraham people, but of all nations, kindreds and tongues I think not.  When the graves were thrown open at Jesus death, it was scripturaly noted as many saints, not all. 

Many people get upset over this worthy issue.  I challenge all to renew their efforts to study this worthiness issue.  It is used many times and as best as I can determine nearly always is in reference to the opportunity to serve in the kingdom.  It is a reward over and above salvation.  Whenever Jesus talked of the free gift of salvation for all those that believed on the Son, he always refered to the gift of eternal life at the resurrection of the last day.  This resurrection is at the end of the 1000 years or end of the earthly kingdom.  John 5:22-29 talks of this resurrection.  In John 6:33-54, it is stated 4 times, that those which believe shall be raised up and given eternal life at the last day.  This is the free gift of salvation.  Serving in the kingdom is a reward over and above.  These have special positions (rewards/crowns) as kings and priests in Christ's government. 

I'm going to go out on a little bit of a limb here.  Leviticus chapter 23 gives us the feast celebrations.  On the morrow after the 7th sabbath (Pentecost), two loaves of unleavend bread were to be brought unto the Lord.  These are firstfruits unto the Lord.  Ultimately, these two loaves will represent the bride of the church to be taken out at the pre-trib rapture.  I believe the worthy old testament saints were taken with Jesus at his ascension.  They were the first loaf.  Luke 11 tells of 3 loaves of bread.  That will untimately be the tribulation saints.  These are the 3 parts of the first resurrrection.  Rev 20:4-6, tells us these are all parts of the first resurrection and the second and last resurrection is at the end of the 1000 years.  Many teach that the second is for the lost only, but John 5:28-29 and John 6:33-54 tells us that this is the great end time resurrection and there are those who will receive eternal life and those who will receive eternal damnation.  Rev 20:6 tells us that those of the first resurrection, the second death hath no power. 

I hope I have cleared up scripture on this for you.  To me it is there plain as day and scripture is consistent in its application.  The more I read, the more amazed I am with God's word.  No doubt, God wrote it through man. 

How close are we?  I believe the Jun 67 war was the prophetic marker of Mat 24, not the 48 birth of Israel.  Here she was 19 years old (tender age, not quite an adult).  In late spring (summer was nigh) she sprouted leaves.  She gained the Golan Heights, the Sinai, the West Bank and most importantly Jerusalem, the very land this false peace treaty is trying to give away.  40 years is the prophetic marker of testing.  It rained 40 days/nights, Moses life was divided into 3 sets of 40, the Israelites wandered 40 years and went across Jordon that very year into the promised land, Saul, David and Solomon all ruled 40 years, Jesus was tested 40 days etc.  Look to next spring, late spring as a date to be surely prepared for.  Some say we can not know the hour or day.  God, being the author of all language is very grammatically correct.  The verse directly preceding this statement is "Heaven and earth shall pass away."   "Of that day no man, not even the angels in heaven know the day nor hour."   It is pretty obvious what Jesus is refering to and it is not the resurrection of the dead or the rapture.  Lev 23 tells us firstfruits are tied to the spring feasts.  The fall feasts mention fruits, but not first fruits.  However, Jesus warns us the day might be a surprise, so always be ready, spring, summer and fall, even in winter.  That stated, it seems to me the surprise is primarily to those not watching.  Jesus says that those who love him watch.  He will surely not select a bride that does not love him. 

One last clue.  That clue is in Joseph who wore the multi-colored coat (recorded 3 times in Gen 37).  Those of all kindreds, peoples, tongues and nations sound pretty multi-colored as well.  He was given major blessings in Gen 48 and 49.  49 vs 1 tells us these were blessings for the last days. He was given a blessing  by Moses in Deut 33.   There are two prevailing christian themes about Joseph.  He lived separate from his brethren, a requirement for the followers of Christ.  A crown was to be on his head because he lived separate.  Both as a verb and adjective, the word separate strongly describes the bride throughout scripture. 

Gen 48 says the name Israel was given to Joseph's children and he was to receive a double portion above his brethren.  He was to become (end time) a great nation and a great multitude of nations/states.  Gen 49 tells us God made his hands strong and he would be scattered to the everlasting hills of the earth.  Joseph was to be a blessing to the peoples of the earth.  Joseph (his children) was the leader of the nation Israel (as opposed to the nation state we call Israel which is Judah).  They were overun and captured by the Assyrians. They were to forget their God, their language and who they were.  But God did not forget them or the blessing upon their head.  Those who would deny God did not carry out His blessings, I would say to you that you have a form of religion, but deny the power of thereof. God said he would give them a new language.  I dare say it is the international language of the world today.  They were mixed with the gentiles and ultimately became the world leader of the gentiles, at least so they thought.

Jesus told his disciples to carry his word to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat 10:6).  The name Israel belonged to the children of Joseph, not Judah (Gen 48:6).  Joseph had the great material blessing of the patriarchs.  Judah had the scepter and therefore bloodline of Christ.  Judah was the leader of the house of Judah containing the Jews, also Benjamin and their portion of the Levites.  After Solomon, the tribes of Israel lived in Samaria.  God knew the Jews would for the most part reject Jesus.  Joseph, as the ultimate leader of the gentiles would become the one who would take the message of Christ around the world to the everlasting hills.  It is his multi-colored coat that is most represented in the peoples, kindreds, tongues and nations.

Aha, but where does that lead us?  It is clear in Isaiah, Ezekial, Jeremiah, Amos, Micah etc that the children of Joseph will be a great power, then they will fall again, because they worship the works of their hands.  Their leaders rob their people and take God away from their children.  They are called reprobate silver.  Think about our coins?  She is a power and then she is not.  She will be destroyed and a remnant will go into captivity until Jesus returns and reunites the branch of Israel and the branch of Judah once again and gives them the promised land.  Is she commercial Babylon during the tribulation?  I am not sure, but the description sure fits.  She is definately the world power which pushes the world together (Deut 33:17), but at some point she is destroyed.   

Here is the next clue to the timing.  Deut 33:16 tells us that those of goodwill in the house of Joseph dwell in the bush.  God appeared in the bush to Moses, but does not dwell there.  This same bush, a tare always associated with the thorns and briers, was not harmed when God appeared to Moses, but God promises that it will be consumed in the fire in the end time.  The wheat and the tares grow up together, then are separated, the wheat into the barn and the tares into the consuming fire.  You notice in this verse, that those of goodwill are separated and a crown put on their head just like Joseph.  It happens at the time of the bush.  Do you think we have had two Bush presidents as the head of Ephraim (some may think Manasseh, but certainly children of Joseph, an end time power),  by accident. 

Job 30:3-8, says vile, base people live in the bush.  Job 1:7 and 2:2 (two times) both describe Satan as a walker, one who walks up and down in the earth.  Job 11:6, says that the secrets of wisdom are double to that which is.  We now have Bush #2, second term (double,double).  His name is George Walker Bush.  There are no coincidences with God.  Next year will be 40 years after the 67 war.  It is time to be on the lookout (watch).  It is time to be "right" with God.

Besides Deut 33:16, two other accounts are recorded where Jesus mentions the bush as a sign concerning the resurrection of the dead of 1 Thess 4 and midnight cry of Mat 25.   Jesus states in Mark 12:26-27, "As touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham...Isaac...and Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living...".  In Luke 20:37, "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham...Isaac...and Jacob.  For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him."         

That God is a God of the living, not the dead is to point out the contrast of this event with the original midnight cry of the Exodus passover.  This is recorded in Ex 11:4-7 and 12:29-30.  11:7, "that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel".  In this end time rapture, which  begins with the resurrection of the worthy dead (the midnight cry of Mat 25) Egypt represents the world and Israel is represented by the worthy christians who have lived separate.

Jesus is giving us the Bush as a sign.  Deut 33:17 indicates a change in Joseph after the separation.  With the strength of the horns of a unicorn (an occultic symbol) he pushes the world together.  Actually, since WW2, Joseph has been pushing the world together economically and culturally through the media.  The wise should understand when H.W. Bush announced the New Word Order after Desert Storm, that he was announcing the new globalist leadership coming to the world.  Things are moving pretty fast right now, and it will move even faster after the separation.  A mighty UFO deception is planned on their part.  I would expect the spiritual warfare to intensify through the summer and coming year.  In the meantime, study and pray about this issue of worthiness.  Learn what it means to come out of this world and be a separate people.  For it is those who live separate who will wear the crown, who will miss the hour of trial coming on the earth, who will go to the wedding and become kings and priest with Christ during his kingdom. 

It is a hard thing, but the truth is real love.  May God direct you in all truth.  Steve